Russian security chief Shoigu recently said that North Korea will send 6,000 personnel to Russia, including 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military builders, to assist in mine clearance and reconstruction efforts in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.

In an attempt to develop a tourist economy, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrated the impending launch of Wonsan Kalma — a beachside resort on the east coast of the country with features such as a water park.